Tibetans gathered near the Chinese embassy in Washington on Thursday to protest Chinese President Xi Jinping as he arrived on the South Lawn of the White House to meet with U.S. President Trump.

“He’s not welcome here,” Thondup Tsering, a former Tibetan parliamentarian for North and South America who was attending the protest, told Radio Free Asia.

“He’s not welcome because of the Chinese occupation of Tibet. The policies that [he] has put in Tibet, which are aimed to wipe out Tibetan culture and Tibetan identity.”

Tsering traveled from Amherst, Massachusetts, to join the demonstration.

The demonstrators were bringing attention to China’s passing of the ethnic unity law in July, and the self-immolation of Tibetan activist Lobga Rangzen in front of the United Nations.

With reporting by Nordhey Dolma, Dolkar and Tenzin Dickyi. Edited by Charlie Dharapak.

tibet-xi-jinping-protest-washington Advocates for Tibet march near the Chinese Embassy in Washington, Sept. 24, 2026. (Nordhey Dolma/RFA Tibetan)

tibet-xi-jinping-protest-washington Supporters of human rights in Tibet gather near the Chinese Embassy in Washington as Chinese President Xi Jinping meets with U.S. President Trump at the White House, Sept. 24, 2026. (Nordhey Dolma/RFA Tibetan)

tibet-xi-jinping-protest-washington A large Tibetan flag is carried near the Chinese Embassy in Washington as Chinese President Xi Jinping meets with U.S. President Trump at the White House, Sept. 24, 2026. (Nordhey Dolma/RFA Tibetan)

tibet-xi-jinping-protest-washington Tibetan protesters shout near the Chinese Embassy in Washington as they protest Chinese President Xi Jinping's meeting with U.S. President Trump at the White House, Sept. 24, 2026. (Nordhey Dolma/RFA Tibetan)

tibet-xi-jinping-protest-washington Supporters of Tibet gather near the Chinese Embassy in Washington as Chinese President Xi Jinping meets with U.S. President Trump at the White House, Sept. 24, 2026. (Nordhey Dolma/RFA Tibetan)

tibet-xi-jinping-protest-washington Police watch as Tibet protesters march near the Chinese Embassy in Washington as Chinese President Xi Jinping meets with U.S. President Trump at the White House, Sept. 24, 2026. (Nordhey Dolma/RFA Tibetan)

tibet-xi-jinping-protest-washington Activists for Tibet carry a banner with the image of Lobga Rangzen as they protest near the Chinese Embassy in Washington, Sept. 24, 2026. (Nordhey Dolma/RFA Tibetan)

tibet-xi-jinping-protest-washington Advocates and human rights activists for Tibet protest near the Chinese Embassy in Washington as Chinese President Xi Jinping meets with U.S. President Trump at the White House, Sept. 24, 2026. (Nordhey Dolma/RFA Tibetan)

tibet-xi-jinping-protest-washington Tibetan demonstrators march near the Chinese Embassy in Washington as Chinese President Xi Jinping meets with U.S. President Trump at the White House, Sept. 24, 2026. (Nordhey Dolma/RFA Tibetan)

tibet-xi-jinping-protest-washington A Tibetan flag is carried during protest near the Chinese Embassy in Washington as Chinese President Xi Jinping meets with U.S. President Trump at the White House, Sept. 24, 2026. (Nordhey Dolma/RFA Tibetan)